


Ellen Fraser

by Rhaella_Emma_Targaryen



Series: Ellen Fraser [1]
Category: Outlander (TV), Outlander Series - Diana Gabaldon
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Romance, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:46:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24333040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rhaella_Emma_Targaryen/pseuds/Rhaella_Emma_Targaryen
Summary: What if before leaving through the stones, Claire left something behind? A daughter, twin to the one in her stomach.Two girls, separated by space and time. One fated to live in the present, the other, to live in the past.Claire and Jamie may be separated but at least a part of them lives on with each other, their daughters.Begins in Voyager
Relationships: Claire Beauchamp & Jamie Fraser & Brianna Randall Fraser MacKenzie, Claire Beauchamp/Jamie Fraser, OFC/OMC
Series: Ellen Fraser [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1756702
Comments: 29
Kudos: 72





	1. E. Fraser

"Ellen!" 

"Coming father!" I called, quickly catching up to the red-haired man in front of me. Edinburg was still so fascinating, even after all these months. It was strange to think about. I and Da had never stayed somewhere long. Well, the longest we had stayed somewhere was when Da was a groomsman. 

I had loved that place, even if Da was a servant there. It was where we spent the most time together, just me and him. It's also where he told me stories about my Mother, the time-traveling healer. I knew it pained him to talk about her, but I loved hearing about her. 

Da and I walked back to the print shop he had set up in town. A very respectable business, if you didn't take into account the sedition pamphlets he printed on the side. And the smuggling. 

"Now, what are yer plans for today lass?" he asks as we both walk into the shop. 

"Perhaps I'll see if Fergus needs any help moving product" I reply. 

"Fergus? You two have been spending quite a bit o' time together. Is there anything I should know?" he asks, peeking at me over the glasses from the paper he was reading over. 

"No! Course not. We're just friends Da, nothing else" I reply, feeling a blush creep up to my cheeks. He chuckles and moves over to begin prepping the printing press. I grab my apron and pull it on over my brown dress. 

"Here Da, let me help," I said, pulling my wild red hair up into a messy bun. He smiled at me and placed a hand on my shoulder, giving me a gentle squeeze. Geordie came by later in the morning and left just as quick to gather supplies. After helping set up the press I took off my apron and grabbed my cloak.

"Alright Da, I'll see you at the pub," I tell him as I fasten my cloak and pull up my hood. 

"Be safe Ellen," he mumbles as he works on printing his first paper. I quickly made my way up the stairs and I pulled open the front door and almost ran into this woman who looked like she was about to knock. 

"Oh, forgive me. I didna mean to scare you" I quickly apologized, looking at the dark brown-haired woman in front of me. She looked at me with wide eyes as she took me in. She looked at me in what almost seemed like horror and I could feel myself shrinking under her gaze. 

"Bree?" she almost whispered as she continued to stare at me. 

"'m sorry? You must have me mistaken with someone my name is-"

"Ellen! Is everything alright?" I hear Da call from below. 

"Everything is fine! I just gave one of your customers a fright" I called. I opened the door wider allowing her to step in. 

"You're probably lookin for my Da. He'll be just down that way" I tell her sweetly, pointing to the edge of the railing and the stairs leading down to the press. I walked past her and out the door, heading down to the pub. 

Claire felt like she had just encountered a ghost. Or maybe two as the voice of Jamie continued to run through her ears. It was Brianna's face. Her daughter had just opened the door for her and whipped past her, not even recognizing her face. 

I loved the mists of Scotland. The bit of cold that would nip at my cheeks and keep me awake. It's what felt like home. 

I made my way through the busy streets and towards the local pub. I had planned to meet Fergus there before Da and Willoughby dealt with their business. I peeked inside the pub and saw Mr. Willoughby already sitting there. I looked around for Fergus but he was nowhere in sight. 

I began to make my way back towards the print shop, thinking that maybe I had missed him on the way. As I walked I saw Da, Fergus, and the woman from earlier walking down the street. Da had one of the biggest smiles on his face, I'm not sure I ever saw him so happy before. I stood a little ways down the road, watching the exchange in fascination. 

Da caught my eye and waved me over. Hesitantly I walked over to them. 

"Ellen...this is your mother...Claire" he says with a grin. I can feel my heart skip a beat in my chest. The woman looks at me with a tear-filled smile. 

"Hello," she says a bit hesitantly, fiddling with her fingers. 

"Hi" I mumbled back just as nervous. Before I could say anything more she pulled me into a tight hug. 

"I'm so happy to finally meet you. You look just like your sister" she whispers. 

"M-my sister?" I ask, not sure what she means. 

"You're a twin...your sister Brianna lived with me in Boston" she quickly explains, slowly raising a hand to put my hair back in place. I take a step back from her touch and she looks at me with hurt in her eyes. 

"'M sorry it's just a lot to take in..." I mumble, looking over at Da nervously. He gives me a reassuring look, a look that I know means he understands. 

"I'm going to introduce her to Willoughby. Why don' ya meet us up in the room and we can discuss further" Da suggests with an easy smile. Too easy if you ask me. I nod and quickly turn around making my way to the brothel. 

Jamie could read his daughter like the bible. He knew her that well. He could feel her discomfort and see the worry in her eyes, and what he would never admit to, but fear. She was a strong lass, she was like Claire in that regard but she was also only that. A lass. She and he have gone through so many changes together and while he knew she would grow to love her mother, he saw that she was worried things would change yet again. But she didn't know the strength of a father's love. It was why he had kept her close all those years, and why he continues to do so. Being apart from Ellen in Arnsmiur nearly killed him, and he wasn't going to lose her like that again.

"Fergus, will you see to it that she gets there safely?" Jamie asked the lad.

"Of course milord" he answered with a nod of his head. He smiled and did the same to Claire before taking off after Ellen. 

"I didn't mean to frighten the poor girl" Claire whispered.

"Dinna faesch Sassenach, she's a strong lass. She just needs a bit o time to process" Jamie told her with a sympathetic smile. 

"Have you told her? About us...and all that happened?" Claire asked as they began to walk to the pub. 

"Aye, I've been telling her the story since the moment I held her. She kens well enough. Although I'm sure she thought they were only that, stories" he sighs as they continue to walk. 

"I imagine she's had a lot of questions? I know Bri quizzed me endlessly when I finally told her" 

"If she does she hasn't asked me much. I must warn ye Sassenach, aside from Jenny she hasna had very much...motherly influence. While I've tried to tell her about as much as I can I'm afraid there may have been some ways I've fallen short" he explains as they draw nearer to their destination. 

"You don't mean to say she doesn't know where babies come from do you?" Claire asked a bit teasingly, causing Jamie to blush a deep crimson. 

"We havena spoken much about the subject, no" he coughs, making her laugh a bit more. A sound he had missed. 

"Well, she must know some things. She is twenty after all" 

"Aye, she knows about her monthly courses, I made sure of that. It's a conversation I doubt she'll soon forget" he chuckled, thinking back to when she was merely a girl of 12. 

She had given Jamie quite a fright when she came crying to him in the middle of the night, in pain and bleeding, sobbing that she was dying and how she never wanted to leave him. That night was a long and hard night for Jamie Fraser. He had hoped Jenny would be around when the time came for this talk, for he truly didn't want any part in it. But seeing as how it was just her and him at the time, he did the best he could. 

That night he gave his daughter some fresh nightclothes, bundled her up in her blankets, and sat with her on his lap in front of the fire as he, very awkwardly, explained that she wasn't dying, but instead becoming a young woman. He gave her a bare rundown of why it happened, and why it would keep happening and why she needn't be afraid of it. 

"Will it ever stop?" she asked quietly turning to look up at her father, the fire making her red hair almost glow in the night. 

"Aye, it will. If ya ever have children with your husband it will stop for a time while they're in yer belly" he told her, giving her small stomach a wee poke to make her giggle.

"Would I have to leave ya Da? If I got married and started having babies like Auntie Jenny?" she asked, suddenly growing very serious in her expression. A bit of that childlike innocence slowly leaving her right before Jamie's eyes. 

"Aye...ye would" he answered. At that she flung her arms around Jamie's neck, squeezing rather tightly for the small thing she was. 

"I don't ever want to leave you. Please don't make me Da" she began to cry. 

"Oh, dinna cry my sweet lass. You will never have to part from my side" he whispered, rubbing her small back and soothing her back to sleep. But not before she swore to never marry so she and he could be happy together forever. 

"Are you alright?" Claire asked, slowly reaching up to brush a tear from his eye. 

"Forgive me, I was merely thinking. I forget myself sometimes how much she's grown...and how much time has passed" he tells her, almost mournfully. She moves her hand down and gives Jamie's shoulder a light squeeze. 

"We'll make up for it...for all that time we lost" she reassured him, bringing a smile back to his lips. He nodded and led Claire into the pub to meet Mr. Willoughby. 

I started frantically making my way to the brothel, feeling uneasy as I did so. My world was changing. Stupid of me to think that after a couple months in Edinburgh life might be finally settling down. 

"Elle! Elle, slow down!" Fergus called, quickly catching up to me. I stopped and waited for him to catch up, trying to take a deep breath from the cool Scottish mist. 

"What is the matter? Your mother is here!" he says with a grin.

"I know...it's just...weird. I've never met the woman and all of a sudden she just pops up? Are you sure it's her Fergus?" I ask which makes him laugh. 

"Of course it's her! I would not forget Milady's face. She is one and the same" he says trying to be reassuring. I nod along to his words as we begin walking again. 

"What was she like? When you knew her?" I quietly asked, tugging on the ends of my cloak. 

"She was the kindest lady I ever knew. She never acted like the other woman, she never shied away from blood or unpleasant things. She was...is a perfect match to milord" he explained, seeming to struggle to do so. 

I nodded along to his words and simply let them wash over me like a cool breeze. Of course, everyone had different opinions about claire...well my mother and I wanted to get as much information as I could before I made my judgment on her. 

Fergus saw me up to Da's typical room before taking off. 

"Hello Ellen"

I turned around and smiled as Madame Jeanne entered the small attic room and moved to embrace me. 

"Hello Jeanne, how are you?" I asked giving her a hug in return. 

"Well, where's your father? Don't tell me he let you come here alone?" she asks with a chuckle. 

"No Fergus saw me up. You know Da would never let me walk up here unguarded" I reply with a smile, turning to the basin full of freshwater and begin to wash up. 

"Well, let me know if you need anything. I expect your Da will be here soon" she replies straightening a few things before exiting the room, closing the door behind her. 

I begin cleaning myself up as best I can, brushing my unruly auburn hair, trying my best to make my curls less frizzy. I fiddled with my dress and when I finished that I went about straightening up the room, anything to keep myself occupied. I nearly jumped when the door opened up again. 

I could feel all my muscles clench as I saw Claire and Da walk into the room. She smiled at me nervously as Da closed the door behind us. 

We were trapped in an awkward silence which only became more awkward by the sounds of a man and woman enjoying themselves in the next room. 

"So, you two live in a brothel?" Claire asked with a very plastered on smile as she started to rub her arms. Da and I exchanged a look, silently arguing over who would speak first. 

"It's ah not what you think. Madame Jeanne is a client o' mine. We stuck a bargain some time ago, so she holds a room for us here for whenever we'd like it" Da quickly explains, locking the door moving towards the small table, pulling out a chair for Claire to sit down. 

"I imagine we have a bit to talk about" he continues while Claire and I continue to silently access one another. 

He pulls out the chair at the other end of the table, the one seat in between the wall and the bed, the trapped corner seat, and motions for me to sit. Reluctantly, with crossed arms I stride forward and hesitantly take a seat on the chair, continuing to look Claire over. 

Da moved and leaned against the side of the bed facing the table with his arms crossed, a smile on his face as if he had created the perfect setting for us all to talk. I look between the two, biting at my lower lip, waiting for someone to start. 

"Well, I suspect you might have some questions" Claire began placing her folded hands on the table between us. 

"Why did you leave us?" I ask, a bit of venom coming out of my voice. 

"Well, it wasn't the first option. When Colluden happened I was still pregnant with you and your sister. All three of us were meant to travel through the stones together but then I went into an early labor...with you. You were born at the standing stones in Inverness. You were born earlier than expected. But, after I had you the contractions stopped. Your father and I thought it would be best for me to go back to my own time to give Bri her best chance, but you were so small. I didn't want to take you with me for fear I might lose you during the passage" she explains. 

"And you were okay with that? With her abandoning us?" I ask, turning to stare down my father. He was a bit startled by my reaction but took a shaky breath, stealing himself to answer me.

"She dinna have much choice. If she would'a stayed, she would have been targeted for being my wife, for being lady Broch Turach. It was no safe" he answered with a solem nod. '

"It wasnna safe for her but it was safe for me?!" I snap, feeling my temper starting to heat up my cheeks.

"Our original plan was to have Fergus take ya to Jenny, and have her pass you off as one of her own. But, seeing as how I survived...the plan changed" he continues. I whip my head back to look at Claire who looks at me with sharp eyes. 

"Why are you here now? After all this time, you just decided to come back?" 

She took a deep breath as well, "For all those years I thought your father had died on Colluden Moor, but recently Bri, Roger, and I found evidence that he survived and tracked him down here. I had to come back once I knew"

"You come back because you know he's alive, but you wouldn't even dare to come back to see me? You had your own daughter in your own time so what does it matter that your other one was here!" I snap, standing up from the table. 

"Ellen, please" my father said, trying to be delicate. 

"NO!" I shout at him before turning to look back again at my mother. 

"It's been just me and Da for years. We're all each other has had. Don't think just because you travel back through time to be with us that it makes you anything to me. Youre not my mother. My mother woulda never have left me or my Da so easily" I spit, watching her look at me with shock. I started walking to the door and begin to unlock it. 

"Ellen Grace Mackenzie Fraser you come back here and apologize to your mother" My father snapped. I could feel his eyes staring into my back, as if he could will me to do so. 

"I'm going back to Lallybroch. Enjoy your new life together" I mumble, walking out the door and slamming it behind me.

Jamie couldn't believe it. He had thought Ellen would be excited to meet her mother not angry. He began to go after her to make her apologize when Claire stopped him. 

"Don't. She has a right to be angry with me" she told him with a heavy sigh, running her hands over her face. Jamie turned and walked over to her, kneeling in front of her chair, taking one of her hands in his and giving it a gentle squeeze. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize she'd be so upset with ye" he told her, giving her hand a gentle kiss. 

"Brianna was the same way when I told her everything, but she came around. Ellen just needs some time to think things through"

"I don't know, she is verra stubborn. Even if she does come around I donna think she'll admit to it" he sighed, moving to right the chair Ellen had tipped over in her anger. 

"She must get it from her father. He's also quite stubborn if I remember correctly" she said softly, making him smile. 

"Aye...he is. I just worry that I have not done right by her. I did my best to be both Father and Mother to the lass, but I fear I've come up a bit short" he sighs, moving to take a seat on the bed. Claire stood up and made her way towards him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. 

"From what you've told me I think you've done an excellent job" Claire whispered, moving closer to him so their bodies were just barely grazing one another's. Jamie subtly leaned into her presence and hoped that she was right.


	2. First Daughter

"Since when do you lie to your family?" Claire asked as Jamie closed the door to the room in the brothel. 

It had been a strenous day for the scotsmen. Between dealing with the dead body, hiding it and making sure his goods were also well hidden, in addition to seeing if Ellen had made good on her threat to leave for Lallybroch, Jamie was tired. They had just finished speaking with Ian Murray about young Ian and his supposed whereabouts and explaining Claire's sudden reappearance, now he had Claire questioning his actions and Jamie was just about at his wits end for the day. 

"You just lied to them about where you've been for the past twenty years! How is that any different?" Jamie asked feeling his jaw beginning to clench.

"It was only a little white lie. You know why we can't tell your family the truth" Claire rebutted. 

"I didnna realise lies had shades" Jamie grumbled. 

"What on earth is that supposed to mean?" 

"It means that perhaps you've been lying to me about your relationship with Frank. About how you felt letting another man raise my daughter!" Jamie snapped, moving towards Claire.

"You told me to go back! You told me we had to give the babies their best chance!" Claire snapped back her voice beginning to rise with anger.

"Aye, I did. But that was before you went into labor on that hill and I had to pull Ellen out from between yer legs!"

"What did you want me to do Jamie? Shove her back into my uterus and hope she'd make the journey home with me?! I couldn't risk loosing her during the passage and Bri wasn't coming any time soon!" Claire shouted, no longer caring who could hear their argument. 

"Aye I know, but maybe Ellen has a point. You had her here, in Scotland. You coulda stayed, for her at least" Jamie told her, starting to understand how his daughter might feel. Jamie had been so wrapped up in the emotions of Claire coming back to him that he didn't stop to think about how her leaving affected them in the first place. For the longest time it had only been him and his wee lass, but now things were gonna change. He felt a pang in his chest as he thought about how Ellen must be feeling. Abandoned. Now not only by her mother, but by him now too. 

Before Claire could argue that he was the one who told her to go Fergus burst into the room. 

"I'm sorry, but the print shop, it's on fire!"

"Come here lass, and let your auntie have a look at ye"

I softly smiled as I walked up the steps and to the door way where Jenny stood waiting for me with a smile and open arms. I had already greeted the youngins in the courtyard and hugged all my wee cousins as they went about playing before I came to Auntie Jenny.

I could always count on her for anything. She was the mother I didn't have growing up. When Da had to live in the woods and was locked up in Arnsmuir it was Jenny who took me in without question and claimed me as her own. I used to call her mother for a long time, until Da found out and put a stop to it, claiming it wasn't right and that Jenny should stay Auntie to me.

"You're all skin and bones lass. Hasnna your Da been feeding you? I knew you should have stayed here with us while he went off to learn printing" she fussed, brushing some dust off my dress and taking my cloak from me. 

"'m fine Auntie, truly" I told her as she beckoned me inside and towards the kitchen. 

"What brings ye down here? I dinna see you Da riding with you, and I don't recall seeing any letters from you saying you'd be joining us? Is everything alright?" she asks, hanging up my cloak for me as we walked down the hall to the kitchens. 

"Nothing's wrong with Da, if that's what you're worried about...but as for me I don't know" I mumble. I took a seat on one of the chairs by the table while Jenny pulled on an apron and began peeling potatoes. 

"What is it dear? You almost look as if you've seen a ghost" she comments, looking at me with worry in her eyes. 

"I suppose I have. Jenny what do ye remember of my mother?" I ask, beginning to pick at my fingers so I wouldn't have to look in her eyes. 

"I've told you everything the last time ye asked. Now tell me what's truly troubling you?"

"It's just that Auntie. My mother...Claire, she's returned"

I could see Auntie Jenny almost knick herself with the knife at my news. She looked at me in shock, she seemed so shocked I feared she would topple over. But like all Frasers Auntie Jenny was a woman who wasn't easily overcome by her feelings. 

"How do you know?" she asked, slowly going back to peeling the potatoes with her knife.

"She showed up one day at Da's shop. I dinna know it until later, but when he introduced me to her...I haven't seen him so happy Auntie, grinning and acting almost a fool. I canna imagine he was mistaken" I explained, watching her carefully to gage her reaction. She nodded along to my words, and I could see she was choosing her next ones carefully.

"What did she look like?" she asked calmly. 

"She was a beautiful woman, tall like Da. Dark brown almost black hair, pail and English" I summarized, wondering if I looked anything at all like that woman.

"Aye, that'll be her" Jenny sighed, "And I expect they'll be making their way here soon. Especially sine your here. Your Da won't want you away from him long" she said, almost to herself. 

"I don't know how to feel about her Auntie. I ken she's my mother and I suppose I'm supposed too love her as such, but I canna feel anything but anger towards her for leaving" I told her, feeling my chest tighten as I thought more about my Mother. 

"Aye. I dinna blame you. I'm angry with her too, for leaving you and Jamie. She musta changed over the years because the woman I ken wasnna so selfish" Jenny almost spit, starting to peel the potatoes a bit more violently than before. 

"Auntie, I dinna want you to be angry with her on my account. She hasnna done you wrong before has she?"

"She abandoned you and me brother. She abandoned me and your Uncle Ian as well. She must of ken we'd have taken her in after the battle, and yet... Oh I'm sorry lass I don't mean to trouble you anymore than you already are. And it's not terrible to be angry with her either, or with your Da. I'd just as well give him a good thrashing when he shows his face around here, for making you feel so" she said, finishing up her potatoes before walking over to stand in front of me. 

She pulled me into a tight hug, gently stroking the top of my head like she would do when I was younger. 

"No matter what happens you always have a family here. You'll always have me" she said softly, moving to give my left cheek a kiss before going back to continue with her work. I stood up and pulled on another apron to join her. I gave her cheek a quick kiss in return. 

"Thank you Auntie, I know that shes the woman who gave me life, but you raised me and have been a mother to me. I hope you know that her coming back couldn't replace that, or you" I told her giving her a gentle side hug before picking up my knife and grabbing a potatoe.

A day passed, and for once it was uneventful. I helped with chores and the cooking. I tended the horses. Auntie Jenny says I have my father's knack for them. I played with the youngins that were around and Auntie and I went for a horseback ride. We sat on a grassy knoll overlooking the estate and simply talked. She asked about me, and if there were any lads in my life, and how she only wanted to see me happy and settled. 

"Ye are twenty Ellen, most girls your age have been married by now" she teased, passing me a bit of cheese she brought with her.

"Aye, they have. But I canna see myself getting married and settling down. At least not yet. Besides, I wouldna want to leave Da.....alone" I trailed off my words. For an hour or two I had forgotten about the woman that was my mother, and how she was here. 

"I suppose Da will not be needing me if he has...her. Do you think he'll be trying to marry me off now so I willna have to live with him anymore?" I asked her feeling a surge of panic rise in my chest at the thought. 

"Of course not! And if he does I'll have a few words with him. Oh, Ellen, he loves you more than anything in this world. Just because your mother has shown up doesn't mean he'll forget you" Auntie Jenny said, placing a cool hand on my cheek, brushing her thumb against it comfortingly.

I didn't sleep well that night. I was too wrapped up in my worries and fears. Dreaming that Da had forgotten all about me, and was planning to cast me aside. When I awoke the next morning I felt sick to my stomach, and wished for nothing more than Da to be there to tell me a story like he would when I was small. Auntie Jenny came in and checked on me, telling me I could rest in bed for the morning if I wanted. 

I laid in bed, doing my best to cast my childish desires aside. I was a woman. Woman did not cry for the comfort of their fathers, or their mothers. I was stronger than this. I wasn't a wee lassie anymore. Eventhough I certainly felt like one. Eventually I dressed and made my way downstairs to the parlor. As I walked I stopped halfway down, seeing my Auntie and Uncle seated on a couch, and on the other was Da and Claire. 

Da smiled and moved to embrace me, but a slight squeeze from Claire kept him still. I quietly continued to walk down the stairs, and made my way for the door, doing my best to ignore them and their conversation I very obviously interrupted. My hand reached for the door but the sound of my father stopped me. 

"Will ye not even say hello to me lass?" he asked. I could feel my lip quiver with all I wanted to say, but I bit it instead and walked out the door, gently shutting it behind me. 

Jamie could feel his heart begin to ache in his chest. Ellen had never been so cold to him before, and he knew why. She was hurt. She would always act cold and distant whenever she was hurt, later confiding to Jamie about what was troubling her and asking for advice. But he had never been on this end of it before, and it was killing him. Jamie rose from his seat despite Claire's silent protests.

"She needs time Jamie" she whispered to him. 

"Forgive me Claire, but you do not know Ellen as I do. If I let her go now I may never get her back" he said quickly, making his way out the door after his daughter. 

On the way here he had let Claire tell him of how she and Brianna overcame things when they went through something similar, coaching him almost on how to handle Ellen's emotions. It was only now that he realized that was a mistake. Claire raised Brianna, but she did not raise Ellen, his Ellen. He knew his daughter better than anyone and he wasn't going to damper his paternal instinct because Claire thought she knew the better way of handling things. 

He followed his daughter out the courtyard and jogged to catch up with her on the road.

"Where are you going lass?" he asked, walking in stride with her. 

"What do you care? Shouldn't you and your new wife be planning on where you're going to live together?" she grumbled, keeping her eyes on the path in front of her, away from Jamie.

"You think I'd plan such a thing without you?" he asked, causing her to stop and cross her arms in front of her chest. 

"Aye, I do. It's no longer just you and me now...everything is going to change now that she's here" she said, almost sadly. Jamie sighed and took a deep breath. 

"Yes, you're right. Things are probably going to change. The print shop has burned down and the three of us canna live in a brothel, your mother would be upset with us both if we did"

"STOP CALLING HER THAT!" Ellen yelled, causing Jamie to take a step back at the sudden out burst. She finally looked up at him, her curly auburn hair catching the afternoon sun and her eyes, her mother's eyes, were staring him down.

"That woman is not my mother! My mother wouldna have abandoned me. My mother wouldna have left us to fend for ourselves and given up on us as if we were already dead!" she shouted, tears starting to well up in her eyes. 

"Oh Lass, she did not abandon us-"

"What would you call it then?! I never ken who my mother was, and I dinna want to ask because it didn't matter. I had you, and that was enough. Now this woman who left when I was not but a bairn shows up and wants to take you for herself and start living the perfect life you were supposed to have! Tell me Da, how is that fair? Are you gonna marry me off so you and her can spend the rest of your days happy?" she cried, tears freely running down her cheeks. It broke Jamies heart to see her so upset. 

"Ellen" he said softly, fearing she'd dart from him like a frightened doe. Her watched her bite at her bottom lip as she always did when she was thinking. 

"Ellen, Mo stor, I would never leave you, or cast you aside. You are my daughter, my blood and bone, and I love ye more than anything in this world. I'm not asking you to forgive her, or me for the choices that were made. I only ask that you give her a chance" he asks. Her bottom lip began to quiver before she launched himself into his arms, beginning to cry into his chest. 

"'m sorry Da. I don't want to be angry, but I am. I'm so angry" she cried as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. He rested his chin on the top of her head, gently patting her back like he would do when see was only a bairn and would wake up crying in the night. 

"It's alright, I dinna blame you for being angry, and I'm sorry that this has upset you so. But you and I will figure this out, like we always do" he told her, moving to place a kiss on the top of her forehead. Her cupped her now red face in his hands and softly wiped away the stray tears with the pads of his thumbs. 

"I promise ye Ellen, I will never leave you or send you away. You can remain at my side as long as I live" he told her, pulling her back to his chest to hold her. 

"Let's head back Mo Stor, I think we could both use a wee drink" he said, making her laugh a little against his chest before she pulled away and nodded, following him back down the road and towards the house. 

Da led me back inside the house, where Claire was sitting on the couch alone. I didn't dare to say anything, I was too nervous. I didn't want to let this person into my life if she was just going to up and leave us again. 

"Why don't ye take a seat lass, I'll go grab that drink" he says, guesturing towards the coach opposite of Claire. I nodded and slowly made my way over to the coach as Da left for the kitchen. I kept my eyes on her, making a point of taking my seat and arranging my skirts properly around me, like a proper lady would. We sat in silence, staring at one another until Da came back with three glasses and a bottle of whiskey. 

Da handed me the first glass before handing the second to Claire. He set his glass on the table and proceeded to fill mine up first, before filling up Claire's and then his own. He picked up his glass, and chose to lean against the fireplace in between us. 

"Now then, there are some things we should discuss" he began after taking his first drink of the whiskey. 

"What kind o' things?" I asked, running my fingers along the edge of my glass. 

"Well, the two o you for one" he begins. I take a long drink from my glass, trying to prepare myself for the conversation ahead. 

"What should I call ye?" I ask with a heavy sigh, turning to Claire and doing my best to plaster a smile on my face. 

"You can call me whatever you'd like, Claire is fine. I imagine you wouldn't feel quite comfortable calling me mother, but your sister would call me mama" she said leaning forward a bit, as if trying to get closer to me. 

"I've only just met ye. If you dinna mind I'd like to call you Claire for now" I replied. Her face darkened a bit but she nodded. 

"Do you have any questions for me? About who I am or where I come from?" she asks. I look over to Da, hoping he could give me something to say. 

"I wouldna know where to start..." I tell her turning back to meet her gaze. Again she nods, looking down to her glass before taking a quick drink. 

"Why don't you show her Brianna?" Da suggested. I looked at him confused as Claire smiled and pulled out a carefully bundled wad from her dress. She scooted a bit to the side, tapping the space next to her, inviting me to sit. I set down my glass and cautiously moved over to her, taking a seat on her left. Da walked over and moved to sit on my left so I was sitting in between them. 

I watched as she slowly unwrapped the wad and pulled out...

"Are these portraits?" I ask, taking the first one she offered me and turning to over in my hands. 

"Sort of. They're called photographs, pictures. They capture a persons likeness in an instant" she explains. It was then I looked at the girl in the picture. She was about my age, with auburn hair that was straight instead of curly. If I didn't know any better I would have thought I was looking at an odd portrait of myself. 

"Is that her?" I whisper, tracing my finger over the image, studying her eyes and the softness to her face. 

"Yes. This is your twin sister, Brianna" she tells me, handing me another. This one was of a baby, swaddled up in her crib. 

"That's how you looked as a bairn too. With wisps o red hair on yer head" Da said, pointing at the babe. I took the next one, this time she was kneeling beside a black dog. 

"That was our dog, Smokey" Claire explained. 

"I always wanted a dog. Da and I never stayed in one place long enough for me to have one" I mumbled, smiling as I pictured my sister petting the beast. The next photo took me a moment to comprehend, but when I did I gasped and quickly flipped the picture over. 

"Why would she wear such a thing? And be...photographed in it no less?" I asked, looking at Claire in horror, multiple scenarios playing out in my mind. Was my sister a brothel worker? Or some kind of harlot who had no shame?

"It's common in our time. It's called a bikini, its worn when swimming see" she said, gently flipping the photo back over and pointing out the waves in the background. 

"Is she with a lad?" I ask, pointing out the male figure in the photo. 

"Yes, he was a friend from school" 

"Are they married then?" I asked which made Claire chuckle. 

"No, she isn't married" she said, taking the pictures back and wrapping them up. 

"Does she have someone courting her then? Or a man who is taken with her?" I ask, smiling at the thought.

"Well there was one boy I think she likes. His name is Roger, and he's a professor at a school in Scotland" she explained. 

We spent the rest of the day in the parlor. I asked basic questions, mainly about Brianna and what she was like, I was still nervous to get too close to Claire. Most of the time was spent reminising. Da would tell a story about me when I was a child, which would then prompt Claire to tell one of Brianna and so on. 

Nothing was set in stone but I think Claire and I had a good idea about one another. It was already dark and the candle were being lit for the night. I rose from my seat, turning to Da and Claire. 

"It's getting late, I should probably go to bed" I told them. 

"Aye that it is. Go on Lass, we'll talk about what we're going to do next in the morning" Da said with a smile. I nodded and leaned down, placing a kiss on his cheek. I turned to Claire and slowly grabbed one of her hands in mine, giving it a gentle squeeze as I gave her a smile. 

"Goodnight Da, Goodnight Claire" I told them, turning to walk up the steps and to my chamber.

Claire felt like she could finally breathe. Her and Jamie had retired to bed soon after Ellen left.

"I think it went well between us today" she remarked as she began to dress for bed and Jamie did the same. 

"Aye, I believe it did. She just needs a bit to warm up to you is all" Jamie said with a smile, feeling a sense of pride that this afternoon happened because of his little push. It gave him a little hope, that they were about to start the family they were always meant to have. But...some things needed to be taken care of first. 

"Sassenach, there's something I've been meaning to tell you..."

And at that moment is when all hell decided to break loose.


	3. Unfinished Business

Claire was in disbelief. She knew that Jamie might have remarried in the twenty years since she had been gone. She accepted that possibility. But to Laoghrie? To the girl who almost had her burned for witchcraft? She couldn't think clearly. She wanted nothing more than to beat the man in the room with her. 

Thankfully, Jenny stopped them before any real damage was done. So now Claire sat on the couch, wrapped in a blanket trying to think through all she had just learned. But before she could do that, Jenny walked into the room holding two mugs of tea.

I was woken up by all the shouting, and nearly ran into Marslie when I went to investigate with a knife in my hand, hair a mess and in my nightdress. After she quickly explained to me what was going on, and having to assure Marslie that my mother wasn't a whore and that if she ever called her that again I'd have to cut out her tongue. 

Auntie Jenny rushed up and put a stop to what sounded like my parents about to murder one another. I watched Claire stomp down the stairs with Jenny following her before I burst into the room where my Da was pacing in his nightshirt. 

"You dinna tell her?!" I shouted, my hands clenching into fists, my right hand still firmly clasped around the hilt of my knife.   
"Ellen go back to bed this doesn't concern you" he said, jaw clenched turning to face me with his finger pointed at the door. 

"Doesna concern me?! I only just met my mother and now you might have just driven her away for good! Why didn't you tell her you had gotten married?!" I shouted stepping forward, absentmindedly waving my knife around for emphasis. I had half a mind to swing it at him.

"Because I didn't want her to leave! I was gonna tell her but I was gonna sort it out with Ned first" he explained. 

"Well that's idiotic! You better find a way to fix this Da. I dinna just go through the hell of accepting my Mother's return only for you to mess it up" I snapped at him, pointing my knife at his chest before moving towards the door. 

"Now where do ye think you're going?" 

"I'm going to clean up the mess you created!" I yelled, slamming the door closed behind me. 

"You told her to come here? Didn't you?" Claire asked Jenny as she handed her her mug. 

"Aye, I did. I thought she should know that her husband was home" Jenny replied, unashamed taking a seat in the chair opposite Claire. 

"I know you're not happy I'm back, but what I don't understand is why? I thought we'd gotten over whatever had come between us when I first came to Lallybroch?" Claire sighed, taking a sip of her tea, and biting back a smile when she tasted the splash of whiskey in it. 

"You're right, I havena been kind to you since you came back. But you have no idea what it's been like" 

"I can imagine-"

"Can ye? Can ye imagine Fergus as a wee lad knocking on your door with a fresh bairn in his arms screaming for her ma? With no explanation for as to where you were or what had happened. I assumed you were dead, and like any family would do I swore to see to it that your child was taken care of, and when Jamie was wheeled home I saw to it that he would be alright as well. Because that's what family does. But now to hear that you've merely been gone for twenty years, it starts I fire in me that I canna explain. I raised yer child, and don't get me wrong I loved doing it, Ellen is my blood and bone just as much as she is Jamie's, but it was hard. Ye ken she called me Ma for a time? But Jamie put a stop to it because he dinna think it was right. Well, to see you now, having abandoned your husband and child, and us I can say that he was wrong. You may have given birth to Ellen but she's more mine than she will ever be yours. I had her for years. Who do ye think taught her how to walk? Or her prayers? Who was there to tell her stories and answer her questions because it wasnna you Claire" 

Jenny took a deep breath after finishing what she had to say. She could feel a bit of a weight lifting off her shoulders as the words drifted in the air between them. She took a long drink from her mug before looking at Claire again and seeing the tears in her eyes.

"You're right. I wasn't there, and I should have been. I wouldn't have left in the first place but Jamie insisted...and then I had Ellen"

"You had a bairn and were able to run away?" Jenny scoffed, rolling her eyes. Claire took a deep breath. 

"It's more...complicated than that. Jenny you know I would never lie to you, and I think it's about time you knew"

"About time I knew what?"

And so Claire took a breath, and began to tell Jenny her story. How she had fallen through time and was actually from the future. She told her about Frank, about nearly being burned for a witch. She told her about how she and Jamie tried to stop Culloden and failed, and finally, she told her about that day on the hill, when Ellen was born, and later on Brianna. 

They sat together in silence for a while. Claire watched as Jenny sat in her chair, with a nearly blank expression processing everything she had just told her. 

"I know you must think I'm crazy-"

"No...I believe you. It makes sense now, why ye told me to plant potatoes all those years ago...it saved us from starving, and Jamie told me ye might tell me things, and that I should just take your word. Now I know why" she said, her voice sounding almost hallow. 

Claire began to worry she had sent Jenny into a shock until Jenny reached over and grabbed Claire's hand. 

"Thank ye, for telling me. I'm sorry I've been so cross with you. If I had known I-"

"No, don't. You have every right to what you said. I shouldn't have left, and IO should have come back sooner, but I just didn't. All I can do is try to make up for it now if you'll let me" Claire asked. Jenny nodded with a smile, before turning her gaze toward the steps. 

"You can come down Lass, yer Ma and I were just having a chat is all" Jenny called. Claire turned to her right and saw Ellen standing on the steps biting her lip as she slowly made her way down. Jenny rose from her seat, giving Claire's hand a final squeeze before heading off to bed.

As Jenny and Ellen crossed paths, Claire watched as Jenny pinched the girl's cheek and smiled at her lovingly before heading back up the stairs. They both watched in silence as Jenny went back up to her room and they both heard the door creak shut. 

"I wanted to apologize, for Da. He isnna the best at accounting for a woman's feelings" I said, before clearing my throat, "But I suppose you would know that being married to him and all" I quickly added which made her smile. 

She shifted over to her right, giving me room to sit next to her, so I did. 

"I know Da was wrong in not telling you, but does this mean you're gonna leave us again? I'm sorry if I havena been as kind as I should-"

"It's alright, you don't have to apologize. And don't worry, I promise I'm not going to leave you again" she reassures me, setting down her drink and grabbing both my hands in her own. Her hands were soft, very different from Da's usually callused ones. 

"I still want to, say I'm sorry I mean. I suppose seeing you with him just made me afraid, and a wee bit jealous. It's only been me and him for so long, I never considered what might happen if he was married" I admit, sighing as a felt the shame run over my chest. 

"I want you to know that I don't want to come between you and your father. We were only married for two years before I left, you've had him for twenty. I understand that you might have a better relationship with each other than I initially thought. I only want to get to know you, you're all grown now and don't really need a mother" she says, squeezing my hands and smiling at me. 

"Maybe, but I'd still like one" I tell her, before pulling her into a hug. She was startled by my sudden show of affection, but after a moment she wrapped her arms around me and held my tight. I could feel tears starting to spring to my eyes. For the first time in twenty years I was being held by my mother, and the last thing I ever wanted was for her to let me go.

Brianna couldn't remember a time when she felt more alone than now, and she was starting to become distracted. She found herself daydreaming during her classes, trying to picture what her father and twin sister might be like. 

One weekend while her roommate was out, she decided to conduct a little experiment. The night before she had braided her hair and she chose not to wash it for a day or two, or brush it, and flatten it like she normally would. She let herself be natural, no product in her hair or makeup on her face. When she went to look in the mirror she was amazed at the person looking back at her. 

She seemed completely different, this girl. Ellen. She looked beautiful, and she was probably fierce. Brianna tried to square her shoulders, standing confidently, and trying to put a determined look in her gaze. 

She could barely recognize the woman looking back at her. Before she could begin analyzing every detail the phone began to ring. She raced to the shared living room and picked up the white phone. 

"Hello?" she asked. 

"Brianna? It's Roger" 

She smiled at hearing his voice. 

"Roger! Does this mean you've found something on her?" Brianna asked excitedly, moving with the phone and cord to look out the window, smiling at the part of her reflection that she could see.

"I only found one thing. Her name recorded down in a family bible stating when she was born, and when she was baptized but other than that there's nothing" he admits. 

"What do you mean there's nothing? There has to be something on her! Who she married, if she's had any children, if she's done anything" Brianna began to ramble, feeling herself begin to panic for a moment. She went to look back at the bit of reflection in the window, but she couldn't see it anymore. 

"I"m sorry Bree. I'll keep searching, but I just wanted to let you know what I've found, and I wanted to ask how ye were doing?" Roger asked, sounding a bit nervous on the line.

"I think I might still be in shock from everything. I just hope mama was able to find them alright" she says, not wanting to go into detail about how obsessive she had become about trying to find things out about her twin.

"I'm sure she did. I can imagine she found them both and they're all together. One big happy family" 

The line was met with silence. It took Roger a while to realize that what he just said may not have been the right thing to say. 

"I'm sorry Bree I dinna mean-"

"It's fine, just let me know if you find anything. Goodbye Roger" Brianna said, hanging up the phone, probably a bit harder than she needed to. She could feel this pit of jealousy starting to simmer in her stomach. Her sister was probably getting everything she wanted. Her father and mother finally together again. As Roger said one big happy family. And here Brianna was, for the first time, alone.

I had been inside, helping to clean up the parlor a bit when I heard shouting coming from outside. I had hoped Da and Claire resolved a bit of their argument when she went back to bed last night. Everything was decently peaceful for the rest of the night and for the morning. But now there was shouting again. I started murmuring garlic curses under my breath as I made my way to the door. As soon as I reached for the handle, a distinct shot was heard from the courtyard. Time stopped for a moment as my mind rushed to all the horrible things that could have happened. Before I let myself get stuck in a panic I took a deep breath and whipped the door open, shocked at the scene before me. 

Laoghaire was holding a gun, and on the other side was my father, standing in front of Claire protectively. But I could see blood starting to come from my father's shirt. 

"Da!" I screamed instantly running for him. Thankfully the shot wasn't fatal, but he was still wounded pretty badly. 

Laoghaire quickly took off and I almost ran after her when Da grunted in pain. 

"Help me bring him inside, quickly!" Claire instructed. I grabbed Da around the waist, allowing him to use me as a support as I helped haul him into the house. I guided him to the sofa, helping him to lay down as Claire began to rummage through her bag. I took out my knife and cut away Da's shirt, exposing his arm and some of his chest to be bleeding, and full of pellets. 

"How are ye feeling Da? Does it hurt much?" I ask, my hands beginning to shake as I put my knife away. He grabbed my arm with his right hand, forcing a pain-filled smile to his lips. 

"It'll be alright El, it's not so bad as it seems" he said, obviously lying through his teeth. 

"Ellen, I need a bottle of whiskey" Claire said, walked over with some curious tools from her bag. 

"Is now really the time to be drinking?" I asked, looking at her in amazement. 

"It's not for me, it's for him. I need to clean the wound and my utensils before I remove those pellets from his arm. I also need some clean cloth and a bowl" she instructed. I quickly nodded rushing off to the kitchen to grab what she had requested. I did my best to keep my mind steady, but I couldn't help but fear the worst. Was he gonna die on that couch?

Snapped out of my thoughts I grabbed the whiskey, towel, and bowl and brought it out to Claire, setting it on the table next to her. I stood up by Da's head, grasping his good hand in mine and squeezing it tightly. 

"He'll be alright won't he?" I asked, my voice shaking with worry as Claire brought the bottle to his lips, allowing him to take a long drink. 

"I won't know until I've finished" she says, then beginning to pull out tiny tools that looked like they belonged to a butcher. 

"What are ye gonna do to him?" I asked as I watched her pour the whiskey over some of the tools. 

"I'm going to dig out the pellets with these" she explained, but before I could question her more she had already set to work on Da's arm. Thankfully Da was still during Claire's cutting.

"Lass, ye don't need to be here to see this" Da said, wincing in pain as she dug one out. 

"'m not leaving your side" I told him, turning to look at him sternly, but my eyes were blurred over a bit with tears. He said nothing more, only nodded, and continued to hold my hand. I watched Claire intently, trying to memorize what she was doing, and how. I sighed in relief once she pulled out the last one. We began to bandage Da up. He had fallen asleep about halfway through and now was resting somewhat peacefully on the couch.

I had taken a seat in a nearby chair, watching his chest rise and fall, making sure it stayed that way. 

Claire was cleaning up her supplies and moved to stand next to me, placing a hand on my shoulder. 

"He should be alright. He just needs some rest" she said.

"He's not going to die is he?" I asked, my voice quivering. 

"No, he's going to be fine. He's a strong man" she told me. I turned to look at her, feeling tears well up in my eyes once more. 

"Do ye promise? He's all I have. I canna lose him. When I heard that shot..." my voice trailed off as I felt a sob rise in my chest. I bit my lip, doing my best to fight back my tears. 

Claire slowly kneeled down to look at me. Her eyes were soft and kind as she raised up a hand to brush away my tears. 

"I promise, he's going to be okay. Why don't you go get something to eat, I'll sit and watch over him" she offered. I nodded, slowly rising from my chair. She stood up with me as I slowly walked out of the room and to the kitchen, letting my tears flow freely. 

Claire was surprised at Ellen. She remained a lot calmer than she thought she would, and the way she hovered over Jamie, watching him like a dog watches her puppies. Claire was starting to understand their relationship more and more. She sat in the chair and watched over Jamie. Despite him having been shot by Laoghaire she was still angry at him for lying to her. And when he woke up, Claire did her best to reign in her anger, as they discussed what was to happen next. 

I was summoned back to Da later in the evening after he had eaten and had a decent chance to rest. I, Claire, both Ian's and auntie Jenny were sat in the parlor as Da explained the predicament we were in. 

"That's a lot of money Jamie, where are we gonna get the funds to pay her?" Ian Murray asked. 

"I willna take any money from you or Lallybroch. But... I may have another way to solve that problem. There's a chest full of gems over on Selkie Island. I could swim over and grab it, we could take the gems to Jarred and have them exchanged for coin" Da explains. 

"Ye were just shot! What makes ye think you're gonna go swimming?" I asked him.

"She's right. You need to heal" Claire said, looking at Da as well. 

"I can do it! I'm a mighty fine swimmer" Young Ian volunteered, bringing the attention of the room onto him. 

"No" Auntie Jenny told him without a second thought. 

"Aye, I've see the lad swim. He could do it" Da argued.

"Please Ma, let me do this. I can help" Ian begged. After a bit more deliberation it was decided. Claire, Da, Ian, and I would ride out to Selkie Island and retrieve the chest of treasure. We would then make our way to France to exchange the gems before arriving back home. It was a solid plan. 

But like all well-made plans, this one went awry.


	4. Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry it's been a long time. And I'm also very sorry for how terrible this chapter is. I'm not good at fillers and I admit I just wanted to get this part done. Don't worry, the next chapter is going to be so much better!

It was my first time leaving Scotland, and I could feel a weight begin to rest on my chest as the ship inched farther away from the shore. Da told me I didn't have to come, that I could stay with Auntie Jenny if I wished. But, something seemed to be calling me across the waves. I couldn't explain it but I felt like I needed to go. Not to mention I had silently sworn to never leave my father's side again. 

My family and I were on the deck as the ship slowly left port and headed for Jamaica. My head still swam with the memory of Ian being taken away by that pirate ship. I got so caught up in my thoughts that I hadn't realized I was fiddling with my necklace as I looked out at the fading land of Scotland. 

"What's that?" Claire asked, moving to stand beside me. 

"Oh. It's a ruby. I normally keep it hidden, but I s'pose my nerves are gettin the better of me" I replied with a chuckle, turning to show Claire the red stone in a simple setting around my neck. 

"It's lovely. Where did you get it?" she asked. 

"Da gave it to me, the day he came back from Arnsmuir. A present, and a promise that he would never leave me again. I've worn it ever since" I quietly explain, before tucking the gemstone back under my dress. 

"There's somethin I've been meaning to ask ye" I mumble looking at Claire. 

"Of course, what is it?" she asks with a smile. 

"Why did ya leave? After you had me at the stones, why dinna you just stay with us?" I asked, turning to face her fully, feeling a lump develop in my throat. 

"Well,... as you know the original plan was for me to leave with you both and go back to my time. Your father insisted on it, because I had a husband back in my time who could take care of me, and since Jamie didn't think he would...survive the battle he told me to go. I thought the plan might change once I had you, but he still insisted. It's safer in the future, and a much better place to raise a baby, let alone a girl" she explains carefully. I can feel my heart start to seize in my chest. 

Before I could reply Da walked over with a smile. 

"Ah, my two beautiful lasses" he praised, opening his arms and pulling us into an awkward hug. I immediately pulled away and turned to face him, heat rushing up my neck and to my cheeks. 

"Did you tell Mama to go? At the stones of Inverness?" I mumble.

He looks at me with wide eyes.

"Because we were just talkin and she told me that you insisted she go" I whisper, my bottom lip starting to tremble. 

"Well...I...aye I did but-"

"All these years you and Auntie Jenny had me believe that my mother up and left. Abandoned us both. But it was you! You told her to go! You forced her out of our lives and into another man's arms. You are the reason I grew up without a mother!" I shouted, pointing my finger at him, feeling the rage start to swell in my chest.

"Wha- No I di-"

"Aye! You did! You told me that she had no choice. You said that she had to leave us when all along it was you who made her leave. I canna believe it, that you would lie to me so and place all the blame on her when it's your fault!" I continued my hands starting to ball into fists as Da looked at me with wide eyes of shock. 

"I never meant-"

"Never meant to what? Lie to me? Hurt me? Because that's exactly what you've done! I dinna even ken who you are anymore. Yer not my Father. My father would never drive my mother away and blame her for it. My father wouldna lie to me so" I spit, quickly turning on my heel and marching down to my cabin, nearly bumping into Fergus and Marslie on my way down. 

Jamie was reeling, trying to process what had just happened. He turned around to go after his daughter when he saw Fergus and Marslie, holding hands, and smiling like the two were keeping a secret. When they told him about their secret wedding Jamie was at a loss for words. 

"Well then. Since it's too late to turn back I'll just have to separate you. Fergus, you'll stay in a room with me. Marslie, you and Claire will bunk with Ellen" Jamie decided. The decision having been made, he turned to head to the other end of the ship, trying to think of how to handle the situation at hand. 

Claire was at a loss. She hated to admit it but it felt good to see Jamie get some of the blame. Especially because that's all Claire had been getting from the Frasers since the moment she arrived. But she didn't want to see Ellen hurt, or Jamie. For the first time, Claire wasn't sure who to defend. From what it sounded like Jamie wasn't completely honest in his retellings, but Claire understood why. What father would admit to his daughter that he told the mother to go? But, much like when Bri found out about everything Ellen had a right to be angry. Although who knew how long that anger could last. 

I couldn't remember a time where I had ever felt so mad, or heartbroken. I sat on the rickety bed, falling into motion with the rocking boat. All these years, I had thought my mother left me because she didn't want to be with me or Da. But now I knew the truth. Da dinna want to have to share me with anyone. So he kept me for himself. If not for him and his selfish needs I could have grown up with my mother, and my sister. 

A soft knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts.

"Ellen...can we talk please?" Da called from the other side. 

"No. I dinna wish to speak to ya ever again!" I shouted back, my hands trembling as I struggled to hold onto my anger. 

"Ellen please, will ya not even hear my side o' things?" he asked. 

"How do you expect me to believe a word ye say?" I replied, my voice betraying the hurt I was feeling. The door slowly creaked open as Da walked in. He seemed to have a tint of green to his skin as he slowly sat down beside me. 

"Yer right. All I can ask is for your forgiveness. I dinna mean to keep such a thing from ya. And I certainly dinna mean to place all the blame on your mother. But ya have to understand lass, she couldna have stayed here in this time. I could barely take care of you, how would I have supported your mother or Bri? If you hadna been so eager to have been born you would have gone too. But I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm glad you were here, and that I had ye all to myself" he admits with a heavy sigh. I let out a breath myself and leaned to the left so I was resting my head against his chest. 

"I'm sorry I yelled. But I don't know how many more...surprises I can take" I admit. He chuckles and wraps an arm around me, pulling me closer to him so he could rest his head on top of mine. 

"Aye. And I'm sorry that you've had so many...surprises as of late. But I promise ye, there will be no other secrets between us" he vowed, placing a kiss on my forehead.

Time passed differently here. The days blended together, with little happening to distinguish one day from the next. That is until one day, the wind simply stopped. 

There was little to no explanation as to why there wasn't any wind, but with each day without it the crew grew antsier. They kept accusing one another of not having touched the horseshoe at the beginning of the journey. Multiple people suggested it was because there were three women on board. I could hear all the whispers going around and it was only getting worse. One of Da's men was up on some rigging drunk, while others shouted for "Jonah", demanding the sea have a sacrifice so the wind would return. 

Once Da came up to deal with the situation I kept below deck, fearing one of the men might go after me next. I knew I could handle myself but Da needed to focus and I wasn't about to get in the way. 

I was just about to make my way up on deck when there was a jolt. I stumbled but quickly regained my balance as the ship began to move once more. I quickly ran up to the deck, expecting to see some kind of celebration underway. There was a little celebration from the crew, but my parents and those near them were still. I calmly walked over, fearing there may have been a Jonah after all when something red caught my eye. I peered out over the water and saw the waving flag of the British navy on a nearby ship, they had hoisted up another flag and a small rowboat was making its way to us. 

"Da, what's going on?" I asked, causing my family to turn towards me. 

"Ellen, you need to get below deck. You and Marslie both. They have a right to press people into service and I willna have ye aboard a british vessel" Da quickly explained, ushering me and Marslie towards the stairs.

"What about Claire?" I asked.

"Don't worry lass, I'll keep her safe. But you and Marslie need to go and stay hidden, now" he orders. Marslie took my hand and guided me below deck to our shared cabin. 

"What do ya think is gonna happen?" Marslie asks, taking a seat on the bed. 

"I dinna ken, maybe they need some of our crew? Or our rations?" I reasoned, beginning to pace about the tiny cabin. We stayed quiet, fearing the british would come searching. When our door flung open Marslie and I both squealed, but it was only Claire.

"Sorry to scare you, I just needed to grab a couple of things. They need a surgeon on their ship" she quickly explains, walking over and grabbing her black bag. 

"Is someone sick?" Marslie asked. 

"Just about everyone on the bloody ship is" she mumbles walking towards the door. 

"Wait, maybe I can help you" I offer moving over to her. 

"I'm not so sure that's a good idea. This sickness is very contagious, I wouldn't want you to get sick too" she tells me with a smile. 

"I've never been sick. I've never so much as had a cold, I'm sure I'll be fine. Besides, if it's as bad as ye say you could use the extra hands" I reply. She takes a shaky breath but nods. 

"Try your best not to touch anything, or your face while aboard. We're just going to get them set up for their voyage and then we'll be right back"

We'll be right back. What a famous pair of last words. We said goodbye to Da so long ago. To be fair Claire didn't know that the ship would take off with us aboard it. It had been a week, maybe more when she came to me and told me that the captain knew of Da's history, and how he was wanted not only for treason but now for murder as well. 

We had tried to run on the small island we stopped at to feed the goats, but we were caught rather quickly by the captain. 

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you two warn him" he replied with a regretful smile, escorting us back to the ship. But later on, in the dead of night with help from Ms. Johansen, Claire was able to escape. 

"You should come with me. Your father wouldn't want us separating" Claire insisted. 

"No, if we both go they may very well turn back for us. You need to go to see if you can warn Da. I'll stay here and try to buy ye both time. We'll all meet up again in Jamaica" I assured her grabbing her hands and giving them a squeeze. 

"I don't like the idea of leaving you here alone" she admits.

"Aye, but you must. Besides, I'm no' the best swimmer. Go, mama, make sure Da doesn't fall into the trap and I'll see you both again soon" I smiled. She cupped my cheek in her hand and nodded. Giving me a hug and kiss before heading up the stairs to jump off the ship and float to the island we had just left.

That was weeks ago, or at least what felt like weeks ago. 

We continued on to Jamacia, I was under watch, to make sure I didn't try to run like my mother. Thankfully the British guards were gentlemen. I was able to roam about the ship, with the Captain by my side. But my thoughts drifted to my family, wondering if Claire made it to the island and if she had found Da.

Jamie couldn't be happier to have his wife back in his arms. As they reunited on the sandy beach, and he kissed her head, he pulled away to look at her. 

"Where's Ellen?" he asks, looking over her head towards the tree line, hoping to see her red mane coming over the horizon. 

Claire took a shaky breath. 

"She's still on the ship," 

We ran into another vessel, another trading ship that was making it's way to Jamacia, much faster than we were going. The Captain called for the other ship to stop, so they could take some more supplies. 

Multiple rowboats were being used during transportation. I managed to slip away just long enough to hide in one of the empty cargo containers going back to the other ship. Once I was fully loaded onto the other vessel, I broke free of the box. I hid down in the cargo bay of the ship for a couple of days. When the ship finally docked, I ran. I ran out of the ship and sprinted onto the dock. I help my dress skirts up as I did my best to lose myself in the crowd. Once I was sure no one was following me I slowed my steps, and realized I had stumbled into a slave auction. 

As my eyes adjusted to the blazing sunlight I caught another mop of red curls at the other end of the market. I weaved my way through the crowds until I happened upon Da and Claire. 

"Da!" I called from a few paces away. He quickly turned around at the sound of my voice. 

"Ellen!" he shouted, breaking into a grin. I ran towards his open arms and let myself be enveloped in them, tears leaking from the corner of my eyes.

"Oh, my sweet lass. I was so worried. Are ya alright? Did they hurt ye?" he asks, looking me over and cupping my cheek with his hand. 

"No, I'm alright. I managed to sneak away" I explained, moving to hug Claire.

"I'm so happy you're alright" She whispers, placing a hand on the back of my head as she hugs me.


	5. Ruby Red

"Are you sure this is what ladies wear to dinner parties?" I ask, hesitantly taking the red dress from Claire's outstretched hands. 

"I imagine fashion has changed since the last time I wore that, but it'll do" she smiles, rummaging through the trunk Jenny had sent to Jamacia ahead of us. 

"Where did you wear this one?" I ask, moving towards the mirror and holding it up to my frame.

"Paris, at the palace at Versai" 

"Ye went to the palace? In France?" I gasp, turning to look at her as she chuckles.

"What, did Jamie never tell you of our time in France?" she asks. 

"No, he dinna. He dinna tell me much about your time together...and I dinna ask, for fear of upsetting him" I explain as she stood up from the chest. 

"Well, you can feel free to ask me whatever you like," she says grabbing another dress from the trunk. 

"Oh, I wouldna know where to start" I laugh turning back towards the mirror. 

What felt like hours later, we were both dressed, and prepared to go to the fancy dinner party being held at one of the plantation houses. I stood in front of the mirror, surprised at who was looking back at me. The dress was a bit low cut for my taste, but it showed off my ruby necklace in a simple setting. The sides of the dress that were once puffy were now pulled back to make a simple full skirt. Claire did my hair so it was pulled up like hers, with a single tendril hanging lose. 

"Here, I have something for you," Claire says, turning to the dress she had switched for her current one. She rummaged in the pockets, pulling out the bundle of pictures and putting it in her pocket before pulling out another small bundle. She hands me the small package, and I open it hesitantly. 

Inside is a beautiful intricate pearl bracelet.

"It's beautiful...where did you get it?" I ask, holding up the bracelet to exam it.

"Your father gave them to me when I was...leaving. He wanted you and Brianna to have them. I gave them to her a while back and she suggested I split them between you. She has a bracelet just like yours back in her time" she explains, taking the bracelet and slipping it on my right wrist. 

"I love it, thank you," I tell her, giving her a hug. 

"You're welcome, now let's get to that party shall we?"

We descend from the stairs of the room and to the parlor, where Da stands waiting, wearing a powdered wig in addition to his formal attire. Claire descended first while I waited at the top of the steps nervously. 

"Come now Lass, we haven't the time to wait" father calls from the bottom of the steps. I take a shaky breath and slowly begin my descent. My father's eyes go wide at the sight of me. 

"Christ Sassenach, could you have not found something more modest for the lass?" Da asks, turning towards Claire with a look on astonishment on his face. 

"What are you talking about? She looks beautiful, and you seemed to like the dress perfectly fine when I wore it" Claire remarks. 

"Aye, but I do not want my daughter to be paraded around and stared at" he hisses, taking a deep breath from what I knew to be stressed. 

"Oh come now Da, it canna be that bad" I mumble, looking down at my dress, and smoothing out the invisible wrinkles. 

"It's not. It's wonderful, your father just doesn't want to admit what a beautiful young lady you are. Now come on, like we said we don't have time to wait" she says, turning to leave. 

With a sigh Da offers me his hand, assisting me the rest of the way down the stairs and to the carriage.

"I dinna mean it in a bad way. You look beautiful, too beautiful. I can imagine all the boys I'll have to fight to keep their hands off of ye" he teases making me chuckle, as he opens the carriage door for Claire and me. He helps Claire in first, and when I offer him my right hand to give me a lift then he stops. 

"Where did you get those pearls?" he asks, gently turning my hand to examine the bracelet further. 

"Claire told me you gave them to her...for Brianna and me. Their grandma Ellen's pearls. Do you like it?" I ask. He smiles and looks at me with misty eyes. 

"Aye, I do" 

The carriage ride is a bumpy one. It only heightens my already nervous state. Aside from a couple of gatherings at Lallybroch, I had never been to a party, at least not one where I was expected to dress up. I had no idea how these things worked. Would I be expected to dance? Would I be asked about my father? About my Mother? Before I could dwell too much on what would happen, we had arrived. 

Da exited the carriage first, followed by Claire. I could feel my heart racing in my chest as Da offered me his hand. Slowly, I took it, ducking out of the carriage the letting the night air of Jamacia embrace me fully. It wasn't cool and crisp like Scotland. Despite it being night the air was still hot and suffocating. Da whispered something to the "manservant" who had accompanied us while Fergus and Marslie made their way over to us from the carriage behind us. 

"You look beautiful, Ellen" Fergus praised, Marslie nodding alongside him in agreement. 

"Thank you," I mumbled in reply, feeling too nervous to say anything else. 

"Well then, let's go find Ian" Da said offering Claire his arm. She took it and they began walking up towards the Governor's house. I followed behind, twiddling with the black lace fan in my hand as Fergus and Marslie separated from us. 

The house was something to marvel at. There were so many candles that the house seemed to be glowing from the inside, radiating a beam of light out into the night sky. Everyone was dressed in what I assumed to be their best attire. Men wore powdered wigs, and the women were decked out in jewels and fine lace. Almost the instant we step inside Claire begins conversing with a couple. Da gets pulled away by one of the gentlemen and I'm left alone. As I glance around I can see all the ladies peering at me over their fans, and some of the men who line the walls are openly staring at me. I can feel myself shrink under their eyes. I quickly spot Da and make my way towards him, feeling more vulnerable than I care to be, but I stop once I see how engaged in conversation he is. Instead, I move towards the side of the room and slip into a seemingly empty corridor filled with paintings. 

I slowly walk down the hall, admiring the detail on one particular painting when I hear footsteps beginning to approach from my left. 

"What are you doing here?" a gruff voice asks.

I turn, looking at the figure in the shadows. 

"I'm sorry, I just wanted a moment to think" I answer, turning to face the figure, gripping my fan tightly in my hands, prepared to strike if need be. 

"Hmm" he replied, slowly stepping forward into the candlelight. He was a tall man, maybe even taller than Da. His eyes were a golden brown that almost seemed to glow in the dim lighting. His features were sharp, which was only more prominently shown by his freshly shaved face. His hair was blonde, so blonde it almost looked white. It was pulled back neatly, accenting the collar of his shirt. He was very handsome, but he didn't seem to be cocky about it. 

"And what is a Scottish girl doing all the way here, in Jamacia?" he asks, stepping closer to peer down at me. The top of my head probably came to his chin. 

"My family and I are looking for my cousin, Ian. He was taken here by a ship not too long ago" I reply, being sure to keep my head held high. He nods and begins to walk around me, circling me as if I was his prey, his hands placed respectfully behind his back.

"And what are you doing here? All alone in a hallway?" I retort, turning my head to keep my eyes on him as he seemed to size me up. 

"I'm not one for parties" he replies with a smile, "neither are you it seems. Despite your red dress" he says almost chuckling.

"And what's wrong with my dress?" I ask, looking down to see if I've spilled something on it. 

"Nothing, aside from it keeping you from blending into the crowd. It attracts the eye, which attracts attention. But you don't seem to want the attention?" he remarks curiously, completing his circle to stand back in front of me. 

"I've never been one for attention" 

He nods along to my words. Holding out his hand for mine. I slowly offer him my hand, causing him to bow and place a ghost-like kiss on the top of my right hand. 

"My name is Geralt" he says, righting himself back to his usual height. 

"Ellen" I reply, moving my hand back to my side. 

"Shall we head back Ellen? I suspect if we remain seemingly engaged with one another no one else would dare interrupt" he says, offering me his arm. I silently intertwine my left arm with his right and allow him to escort me back into the main room with all the guests. 

"So Ellen, tell me about yourself" 

"What would you like to know?" I ask. 

"Tell me about your life in Scotland" 

So I did. At least some of it. We spent what felt like hours simply talking. I felt comfortable with him, and at home. 

"Ellen, there you are. It's time for us to meet the Governor" Claire says, standing on my left. 

"I'd be happy to introduce your family, the Governor is a friend of mine" Geralt offers. Clarie looks at me with raised eyebrows and a smile. 

"That would be most kind of you. My name is Claire, I'm Ellen's mother" she says introducing herself. Geralt takes her hand, bowing and placing a kiss on the top. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Your daughter and I were just speaking about her time in Scotland" he says, turning to look at me with a smile, offering Claire and me his arms. We both take them and allow him to escort us to the back of the room where Da is waiting for us, with the Governor. I blush as Da looks at me with raised eyebrows.

"Thank ye for returning my wife and daughter to me," Da says with a stiff smile. 

"The pleasure was all mine. Your daughter makes an excellent companion for such an event" Geralt remarks, moving his hands back behind his back. 

"Aye, I'm sure she does" Da replies, with what I could tell was a forced smile. 

"Well then, I see you've already met Lord Geralt"

I turn to look behind my father as a familiar voice speaks up. Da steps aside and I grin at the man who stands there. 

"Lord John! You're the Governor?" I ask with a smile, curtsying before him as he bows. 

"Indeed I am. It's wonderful to see you again Ellen, you and your father" John replies turning to smile at my father. 

"You already know Lord John?" Geralt asks, causing me to turn back to him. 

"Aye, we've been friends for quite some time", Da answers, motioning for Claire to move forward. "And you'll remember my wife, Claire," he says introducing her proudly. John's eyes go wide at the sight of her before he takes her hand. 

"Would you mind stepping into my study for a quick chat? There's a lot we need to catch up on" John asks turning to Da. 

"Of course" he replies with a smile. 

"Lord Geralt, you wouldn't mind keeping Ms. Ellen entertained for a moment would you?" John asks. 

"Of course" Geralt replies with a bow as John leads my parents away to his study. 

"Lord Geralt?" I ask turning to look at him as he smiles at me nervously. 

"I'm not one for titles or fancy red coats" he answers, "how about a drink?" 

"Depends, does Lord Grey serve Scottish Whiskey?" 

He laughs and calls one of the servants standing against the wall, quietly whispering in his ear before the servant bows and takes off. 

"How about a stroll through the gardens?" he asks, offering up his arm once more. I gladly take it and allow him to lead me outside. We begin mindlessly chatting once more, mainly him asking me endless questions while I admire the unique flowers Jamacia has to offer. The servant meets us with full glasses of whiskey before departing. 

"How about a toast?" he says holding up his glass. I turn with a smile and do the same.

"What should we toast to?" 

"To the most interesting woman, I've met in a long time" he clinks his glass against mine, and we both drink. It isn't until I've lowered my glass that I realize I've drunk more deeply than he has. He looks at me almost in wonder as I blush. 

"A woman who can drink, all the better," he says in his deep voice, making me blush even more. 

"'scuse me! Dear!" We both turn as a pale woman with auburn hair approaches us with a smile. 

"Forgive me, but I was just admiring yer wee jewel, where did you get it?" she asks with a very thick Scottish accent. 

"It was a gift, from my Da" I reply, reaching up to touch it with my right hand, feeling nervous as she continued to stare at it before she moved her gaze up to my eyes. Her smile only seemed to increase as she began to look me over. 

"Forgive me, we haven't been properly introduced. I'm Mistress Abernathy"

Jamie and Claire stepped out of John Grey's office, feeling more at ease than they were before. With the Governor's help, Young Ian was as good as found. At least, that's what Jamie hoped. 

"I canna believe you let her wear that dress" Jamie hissed, searching the crowd for his red-haired lass. 

"She looks beautiful Jamie, you can't hide her away forever" Claire teased, smiling at the ladies as they moved about the room. 

"Aye, I can if that means men would quit staring at her" Jamie retorted. 

"Oh come now, let her be"

Jamie was prepared to skin the man who had walked off with his daughter when he couldn't find her in the crowd. But, after another look, he could see the red dress making it's way towards the opposite end of the room, with Lord Geralt trailing behind as another red-haired woman lead Ellen. 

"What do you make of that Sassenach?" Jamie mumbled, pointing out the curious scene taking place. 

"Come, it'll be fun!" Mistress Abernathy said, pulling me over to a table with a man and lady set up. Before I could protest further I was standing before the older woman and a small crowd had gathered and quieted around us. 

"How about a wee bit of entertainment in honor of our Governor!" she proclaims, causing the crowd to erupt into applause. 

"Now, don't be shy lass, take a seat and let's see what the fortune teller has to say" she goads, pulling out the chair for me. Hesitantly I gather up my dress and take a seat, facing the meek woman. 

"Let her see your palm, I will translate what she says" the man standing next to her instructs. 

I lift up my right hand and slowly move it in front of her. She flinches, looking at my hand as if it's about to burn her. After a whimper and some encouragement from the man she takes my hand in hers, and immediately starts to scream. It's a heart-wrenching scream, and when I try to pull my hand back she only grips it tighter. She stops screaming and gasps in wonder. 

"Torn apart. You, you will be made whole. Parts returned. Wrongs corrected. Pain, destruction" she mumbles, before screaming again and yanking her hand back from mine. All eyes land on the man standing beside her who looks at me with wide eyes. 

"There will be great pain in your life. You who were once torn in half will be made whole, there's more but I can't decipher it" he mumbles. 

Mistress Abernathy begins to laugh, causing the rest of the crowd to do so as I quickly get up from the table and move back over towards my parents who I spot in the crowd. 

"Lord Grey! Please, why don't you give it a try?" Mistress Abernathy asks, beckoning him to the chair. The crowd claps, encouraging him to participate. Reluctantly he agrees and moves to sit when Mistress Abernathy approaches him, whispering something in his ear before he hands over a sapphire. 

He sits in front of the woman and she gasps, searching for something up in the sky that isn't there. 

The woman hisses and starts to babble about some Scottish crown. I don't pay too much attention as I see a small group of red coats enter the room. 

"Da, the sea captain, he's here" I whisper, tugging on Da's sleeve. 

"Aye, I see him. We need to go, Ellen, can you make sure Fergus and Marslie make it out?" He asks me. I nod and begin to make my way towards the back where I suspected they were chatting. 

"Ellen"

I turn and see Lord Geralt trailing after me. 

"Yes?"

"Perhaps if you're in Jamacia for much longer we can speak again? I'm only stationed here a few more days before I move on to the colonies" he says.

"I would like that" I reply with a smile. He takes my hand, bowing and placing another kiss before he bids his farewell. I watch him as he fades away into the crowd and I can feel my heart swell at the notion of seeing him again. I make my way back outside and start searching the gardens, buying myself time to hide from the Captain. 

"Ellen!" 

I turn back around and see Mistress Abernathy approaching, two flutes of champagne in hand. 

"I wanted to apologize for the reading. I thought you could use a drink" she offers, handing me a glass. 

"Thank ye" I reply taking the drink. I quickly down the glass, needing something to calm my nerves for the task ahead. 

"You're Claire's daughter aren't you?" she asks. 

"How did you know?"

"Your Mother and I are old friends. You look just like her and the combination o' her man" she chuckles, making me blush. 

"Tis a pity, you seem like a nice lass" she sighs, making me furrow my brow in confusion. But, the moment I do, my head starts to pound, and my vision goes blurry. 

"Wh-what did you do to me?" I mutter, before collapsing on the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, if you didn't notice I kinda threw Geralt of Rivia into the story. I thought he would make an interesting, minor addition.


	6. Lost Things

I had forgotten how peaceful the ocean could be. I stood at the front of the ship as we sailed away, wincing as the salty air brushed against my scraped up cheek. I was trying my best to forget everything that happened up until now. Being kidnapped, the cave, the knife. I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing myself to block it out. 

"Ellen?" 

I said nothing as Da walked up behind me and gently placed his hand on my right shoulder. 

"You haven't said a word since....are ye alright lass?" he asked. I turned my head to the side and gave a small nod of acknowledgement. My throat still hurt from all the screaming and cursing. My lip quivered but only for a moment before I turned back to look out over the horizon and picture home. 

In no time I would be back in Scotland and this whole adventure will seem like a silly dream. 

"Can I hug ye?" Da asked, his voice soft. I slowly turned to face him, and quickly buried my face in his chest so he wouldn't have to see my cheek, or my eyes. I hugged him tightly, cringing as my rope burned wrists rubbed against his shirt. In some ways I felt ridiculous, I wasn't seriously hurt. Only some scrapes, bruises, a couple of cuts but none that were deep. Why was I acting like a scared cat? 

The hug was gentle compared to Da's normal squeezes. He placed a hand to my hair, stroking it.

"Nothing will harm ye now lass, yer safe I swear" he whispered. After the hug he walked away, leaving me to my thoughts.

I kept my gaze to the horizon, trying my best to keep my mind blank, but it kept wandering back to the night of the party....back to him. 

Oh yes, it was much more pleasant to think of Lord Geralt then everything that happened after. His eyes, his hair, the line in his jaw. It brought a smile to my lips to think of him. I was so lost in thought I barely noticed the change in weather. 

"Ellen!" 

I turned, holding onto the side of the swaying ship as the wind picked up. Claire was doing her best to make her way over to me, while I did what I could to go over to her. We stumbled as we made our way to one another. The storm had turned ugly fast, the wind caused the waves to rock the boat mercilessly, the waves were growing larger with each one we came over. 

I watched in horror as a large wave came barreling towards the ship. Claire and I locked eyes, and I watched in horror as a bit of the mast broke off and slammed into her, causing her to fall overboard. I screamed as she went over and was immediately pulled under. Before I could understand what was happening, Da had launched himself over the side of the ship, disappearing into the water after her. 

Jamie's heart couldn't take anything else. He did his best to hold Claire up on the driftwood as they floated about what seemed to be an endless ocean. Claire hadn't woken since he pulled her up, they had been floating for what seemed like days. Jamie thought he would die from worry, that Claire was already gone. That the rest of the ship was lost at sea. Would he die out here? Would he condem him and Claire to a watery grave? 

When he awoke once again, it wasn't adrift in the ocean. He picked up his head, his body aching as he looked around. Claire was laying next to him, and she was sitting up, alive. Jamie grinned and they watched as a couple made their way over to them on the sandy beach. 

"Are you alright?" the man called as he walked over to Jamie and Claire. 

"Where are we?" Claire asked as she looked around. 

"The colonies....are you part of the ship wreck that happened up the coast?" the woman asked curiously. 

"The ship wreck, were there any survivors?" Jamie asked quickly. 

"Yes, but I can't say how many for sure. Come, let's get you both inside and dried up" the woman said, both of them moving to help Claire and Jamie up off the beach and further into America. 

\-----------------------------------------------

"Miss? Miss Fraser?" 

My head throbbed with pain and even though my eyes were closed I could feel the room spinning around me. A cool cloth was dabbed against my forehead, making my eyes flutter open in response. My vision blurred for a moment as I took in the man before me. He was wearing a black shirt that exposed a good deal of his toned chest. His long whiteish looking hair was hanging down freely, his sharp jaw held tightly in a look of concern as he pulled the damp cloth away from my face. 

"Geralt?" I mumbled immediately beginning to feel confused. His worried gaze turned soft as he smiled. 

"Ellen, I'm glad to see you're awake" he remarks, his posture relaxing. 

"H-how did I get here?" I ask, looking around the small cabin. 

"We found you floating on a piece of driftwood. We pulled you in and you've been in my cabin sleeping ever since. About 3 days" he explains. 

"What about the rest of the ship? Did you resuce anyone else?" I ask trying to sit up but my head throbbed in protest. His expression turns stern as he looks at me. 

"I'm sorry, you were the only one we found" 

My heart froze, my mind started racing. I opened my mouth to speak but found no words. I was alone. But this time...I had no idea how to get back to anyone. 

"W-where are we?" I ask. 

"We're just outside of North Carolina, about to dock. We can see about getting you home once we do. But for now you should rest, the storm put you through a lot. How's your cheek feeling?" he asks. I raise my hand up to my right cheek, no longer feeling the sting of pain. 

"Fine, I'm just a little tired is all" I mumble, feeling suddenly very alone in the world.

\---------------

Brianna couldn't help the feeling of loneliness that enveloped her day after day. It was strange, to know that there's another part of you out there, but to have never met or seen it. Even though she only found out about her twin sister recently, she could feel her absence more and more each day. Brianna started combing desperately throughout history records during her free time, desperate to find out anything about this girl. But each shortcoming only made her feel worse.

It wasn't until one day when Roger decided to go through some old ship ledgers that they found anything. 

He brought copies of the papers with him as he went to visit Brianna.

"You'll no' believe what I've found!" he exclaimed as they entered her apartment, her following behind him. 

"Well, what is it? Tell me!" Brianna said excitedly moving behind him and playfully smacking his shoulder while he dug out his papers.

"A captain's ledger. Detailing a shipwrecked girl they picked up on their way to the Carolinas. He names her Eileen Fraser, now I know that's not her name but the description he gives. A young lass with fiery red hair, pale and freckled. It also says that she departed the ship with a Lord Geralt"

\-------------

I refused to accept that I was now alone in this world. My family and friends were all on that ship, a single storm couldn't have taken them all. I would feel it if it had. No, if anything I had been left behind, cast off the ship, stranded in the colonies while everyone else continued home to Scotland.

As I looked in the mirror, examining this red-haired girl in a dark blue dress, I imagined her never seeing Scotland or her family again. The girl in the mirror should have cried, should have reflected some sort of emotion back at me. Instead, she was perfectly still. A knock at the door startled me out of my thoughts.

"Miss Fraser, Lord Geralt requests that you join him for breakfast downstairs" one of the maids called. With a sigh, I turned towards the door and slowly made my way down the stairs. I was wearing a pale blue dress, with white ruffles on the ends of my three-quarter sleeves and skirt. I left my hair down, wild and free as Da would say. I couldn't bother to tame the auburn curls that framed my face.

I turned into the small dining room where Geralt was sitting at the head of the table. He was wearing a plain white shirt and black pants, his long hair was down and pulled back slightly, just touching his shoulders. He had a cup of tea in front of him, along with a paper he was reading. He looked up and his eyes went wide at the sight of me.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked, looking down to see if I had something on my dress. He grunted a chuckle before setting down his cup and rising from his chair, towards the seat on his right, pulling it out for me.

"You look beautiful" he answered as I walked over and took a seat, allowing him to push the chair in for me as the maid set down a plate in front of me. I could feel the heat of the blush on my cheeks.

"Well, dinna get used to it. As soon as I'm on the road I am changing into some trousers" I replied, making him smile. 

"It isn't the dress that makes you beautiful. You manage it very well on your own" he said in his deep voice, making me blush more as he moves back over to his seat.

"If I dinna know any better, I'd say you were sweet on me Lord Rivia" I teased as I picked up a bit of toast and took a bite. He smiled some more, pouring me a cup of tea. 

"Sugar?" he asked offering up the small porcelain sugar bowl. 

"Three please"

"Someone has a sweet tooth" he chuckles as he adds in the sugar. He finishes with a little stir and I take the cup, taking a small sip and humming happily with the taste.

"We'll leave for Riverrun in a couple of days. We'll be traveling for at least a week, but I imagine you'd like some clean clothes for when we arrive" He explains as he finishes up his breakfast.

"Once we get on the road, you can change into some trousers I promise, but until then I'm afraid the dress is necessary" 

"I dinna mind it so much, I just feel a wee bit silly is all" 

"You look anything but silly" 

\-------------------------

Jamie couldn't take anymore. His heart couldn't take anymore. When they were reunited with the others a weight started to rise from his chest, but after having been told Ellen was nowhere to be found, the weight came back with a bone-crushing force. It took everything in him not to start swimming in the ocean looking for his baby girl. She couldn't be gone. No, it wasn't possible. He would know, he would feel it in his soul if she was gone. And the thought that she was all alone, lost in the ocean, praying to god and begging for her Da. 

So he did what he could to stay distracted and get to Riverrun as fast as possible. Once they met up with his aunt, to who he already sent a letter announcing their intention to visit, they would be able to come up with a plan to find her. If the storm had shipwrecked them here, it wasn't unreasonable to think that she couldn't be somewhere close. 

And if she was, he would move the heavens and earth to find her. 

\----------------------------

The freedom of being on a horse was something else entirely. I urged my horse into a sprint, relishing in the wind blowing through my hair as we moved through the forest. I slowed the horse down, going back to a gallop and then a trot until I moved back to the steady pace. I slid off my horse, readjusting my gloves, loving the feeling of cloth around my legs compared to that dress from earlier. I felt a little guilt creep up my neck at leaving Lord Geralt the way I did. I couldn't wait days, I couldn't bear to sit in that room in a pretty dress any longer I needed to be out. 

As I bent down to the creek, splashing some water on my face a long whistle gave out, causing me to grab my knife off my ankle and look towards the trees. 

"Woah, calm down there lass" an Irish man calls, emerging from the trees. Dirty blond hair and equally dirty clothes made him appear to be less than appealing, but the charming smile he wore told that he thought differently of himself. 

"And who are you?" I asked as he came closer.

"Stephen Bonnet, now what is a pretty young lass like yerself doing out here all by your lonesome?" he asks walking closer with a smirk on his lips as he looks me over. 

"What makes ye think I'm alone?" I ask holding my knife up.

"Well I don't see a travel companion, and it looks like you've only got supplies for one," he says beginning to circle around me, inspecting every inch of me. 

"If ye think that makes me an easy target ye'll be sorely mistaken," I tell him, keeping my eyes and the tip of my knife at his front.

"Now, I am ashamed by such a statement. I'll have you know I'm a captain of a vessel just off the coast. A gentlemen, truly. Only wanting to aide a lost girl in the woods" he explains, stopping in front of me. 

I slowly lower my knife as he gives me a kind smile. 

"If yer a captain, what are you doing so far from the sea?" I asked, grabbing the reins of my horse and pulling it closer to me. 

"It's really quite the story, which I'd be happy to tell you on the road," he says gesturing to my horse. I raise my eyebrows at him and smile, chuckling.

"Ah, I see. Well it'll take more than some charming words to talk me out of my horse, my Da taught me better than that" I tell him preparing to mount up again.

"I don't suppose your father is a red-headed Scotsman named Jamie Fraser?" 

I raise my knife and storm over to him, he quickly backs up allowing me to pin him to a tree while I hold my knife at his throat.

"How do you know my father?" I ask pressing the blade into his skin. 

"He and your mother gave me a ride out of town, lovely people, truly"

"Which way were they headed?" I ask frantically. If they had given this man a ride it meant they couldn't be far. It meant I wasna alone here after all.

"Towards the river, if I remember, looking to book passage. If you hurry I bet you can catch them" 

"And what do ye want, if they were already heading the same way, why no' continuing riding with them?" I ask curiously. 

"Well, I didn't want to impose on their good hospitality. I figured I could make it the rest of the way on foot, turned out to be a bit more of a walk then I remember" he explains. I could imagine what my father would say and do. He would try to help this man if he could. 

"Ye can sit behind me, but keep yer hands to yerself" I tell him pulling my knife away and turning back to my horse, quickly hopping back on. I lean down and offer him my hand to help him up.

"Are you sure you wouldn't prefer it if I was in the front? I would hate for a lovely lady to get injured trying to manage a horse"

I laughed.

"Trust me, I know a bit about horses. We'll be fine" I tell him, trying to reassure him with a smile. He gave me a curious look. He didn't like giving up his control, but after a few moments, he relented and grabbed my hand, using it to help himself up. He fit rather comfortable in the saddle behind me and with a quick flick of my reins, we were off.


End file.
